Neoproterozoic to Cambrian (Namibian) rocks of South Africa: a geochronological and geotectonic review

Abstract

The Namibian Erathem in South Africa is defined by lower and upper age limits of 900 Ma and 570 Ma and therefore includes most of the Neoproterozoic Erathem. This time bracket incorporates the Pan-African Gariep and Saldania mobile belts as well as some preceding intrusions in the Richtersveld. The upper age limit is surpassed by continuous post-orogenic granite intrusion up to about 500 Ma and deposition in the Nama foreland basin up to about 530 Ma. These rocks are therefore also discussed. An analysis of all existing age data on these rocks reflect polyorogenic and polymagmatic histories related to collisional events for both the Gariep and Saldania Belts that are comparable to that of the Damara Belt in Namibia and other Pan-African belts in Africa and South America. The Pan-African tectonic cycle in South Africa (±650 Ma – 500 Ma) also led to partial resetting of older basement rocks along the so-called West Coast Belt.